With the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule as the law of the land, no insurance policy is now needed to protect roadless areas in our state (“Ritter seeks roadless area ‘insurance policy,'” April 12). The 2001 Roadless Rule was issued after years of comprehensive scientific study and public involvement. It was supported by more than 95 percent of public comments submitted nationwide – and 92 percent in Colorado.

The Colorado petition would weaken this rule, eliminating current protections for approximately 300,000 acres of Colorado wildlands, and greatly reducing protections for the remaining 4.1 million roadless acres in Colorado. It completely removes protection for roadless portions of ski areas – an unjustifiable giveaway since under the Roadless Rule ski areas can build new runs and lifts. They just can’t build new roads in roadless areas for other development. The petition would also remove current provisions in the roadless rule that help protect communities from wildfire risk, and could open up more areas to logging and roads for mining and oil and gas operations. Instead of this petition, Coloradans should once again show their strong support for the Roadless Rule.

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